Pipe cleaner



W. E. HERON PIPE CLEANER A rii s, 1947.

Filed Dec. 21, 1944 Patented Apr. 8, 1947 UNITED I STATES PATENT ()FFICE 2,418,711 PIPE CLEANER -William nes Heron, Detroit, Mich. Application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,129

3 Claims. (01. 131 -24 simple, and inexpensive cleaner that will readily adjust itself to the pipe bowl so that the cutting edges of thecleaner will expand during the reaming process of the reamer. 1

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing of which Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the invention on the line |l of Fig. 2, showing it applied to a pipe illustrated in a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing the reamer adjusted to position of minimum diameter.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view showing the reamer adjusted to position of maximum diameter.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is 'an enlarged partial section showing the method of attaching the cleaner bracket to the central cam bracket, and Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line 'l-'| of Fig. 4.

A spreading plate a is made from sheet metal and as shown in Fig. 2 the top portion is formed into a suitable handle a and from the said handle portion and at each side the cam edges 11. and a are provided, which are tapered inwards towards the bottom edge a each cam edge having the same angular relation to the longitudinal axis of the plate and projecting outwardly from the edges a and a intermediate their ends, are projections 11 and a one on each side and directly opposite to each other. Each of the said projections has narrower portions a having at the free end thereof small shoulders a for the washers c to butt against, the purpose of which will be explained later.

As shown in Fig. 1, each reamer bracket 1) of which two are required, is formed complete in one operation from a developed blank in a punch pres and is so shaped along the longitudinal medial line as to provide a U-shaped portion b projecting outwardly from the opposite sides of which are wings I) and h each having the cutting edges b and b respectively. These cutting edges are preferably inclined and approximately 45 to the axis of the U-shaped portion. The cutting edges 1) and b are curved as at b and b to suit the angle of radius of the inner wall of the pipe bowl with which they are used.

The assembling of the pipe cleaner is as follows: The projections a and a of the spreading plate a are placed inside the elongated slots b of the'cleaner brackets, a washer c which has an elongated slot pierced in the center is placed on each of the narrow portions 12. of the projections, the ends of which are riveted over thewasher which butts firmly against the shoulders 11 of the projections, the brackets then being in place can slide freely on the surfaces of the spreading .plate a and along the cam edges a and a respectively.

To operate the reamer it is held in a vertical position by holding the handle portion. The brackets b then fall to the bottom with the top edges of the elongated slots b butting against the projections 11. and a respectively of the spreading plate.

The cleaner is then in a, position to ream the pipe bowl of the smallest diameter required. The cleaner is then placed into the pipe bowl and at the same time the spreadin plate a is moved downwardly until the cutting edges b and b of the cleaner touches the burnt or caked tobacco. The cleaner is then rotated by gripping and turning the handle portion of the central bracket a and by rotating same the said cleaner reams out the burnt or caked tobacco. As the spreading plate 0. goes deeper in the pipe bowl it expands the cleaner brackets which continue reaming until all of the burnt or caked tobacco is reamed out of the said pipe bowl.

The object of using washers c, the projections a and a and the elongated slots b is to keep the cleaner brackets in assembly with the central handle a and the spreading plate a. It is obvious. that they could be dispensed with as the cleaner brackets could both be placed inside the pipe bowl and the cam portions a and a of the spreading plate a placed inside the U-shaped portion b of the cleaner brackets and ream out the burnt caked tobacco in the same way as mentioned above.

It is to be understood that the form of any invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape and size may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A cleaner for smoking pipes comprising a pair of reamer brackets, each embodying a central U-shaped portion opening on the inner side of the bracket, a wing projecting outwardly from each of the opposite sides of the U-shaped portion adjacent the open end thereof and provided tral U-shaped portion opening on the inner side of the bracket, a wing projecting outwardly from each of the opposite sides of the U-shaped portion adjacent the open end thereof and provided tion adjacent the open end thereof and provided on its outer edge with a cutting edge, said cutting edges being curved to conform to the curvature of the bowl of a pipe with which the cleaner is to be used, a tapered spreader plate slidably engaging in the opposed U-shaped portions and slidabie inwardly thereof for expanding said cutting edges into engagement with the inner surfaceofa pipe bowl, each of said reamer brackets ahavingtaaiiongitudinally directed elongated slot formed therein, a projection projecting outwardly 1 from each of the opposite edges of the said spreader plate and each extending through a slot 1-; and means interengaging with said projections on its outer edge with a cuttingedge,v said cutfor mounting said spreader plate in slidable reting edges being curved to coniormto the'curvature of the bowl of a pipe with which the cleaner is to be used, a tapered spreader plate slidably engaging in the-opposed U-shaped portions' and slidabie inwardly thereof for expanding said cutting edges into engagement withthe 'inn'er: surface of a "pipe ibowl and: means forq connecting said spreader plate to each ot'said reameii brackets.

i 3. :A 'cleaner iior smoking pipes comprising i a pair'oi reamer brackets ea'chembodying a centrai U-shaped portion opening onthe' inner side of therbracket; a wing: projecting outwardly from each of the oppositesidesof the U-ishap dxpon lationto the said reamer brackets.

' WILLIAM ERNEST HERON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the "fileot this patentz l-UNITED STATES PATENTS 

